Jumat, 01 Agustus 2008

Apple is warning that some products will be in short supply in the near future, according to a bulletin allegedly sent to resellers. The memo indicates that Apple is ramping down the production of current-generation iPods, along with 13-inch MacBooks, and 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros. The company has "strongly suggested" that resellers should immediately buy about four weeks' worth of iPods, as the reservoir could go dry within the next seven days. MacBook vendors are being pressured to buy three weeks' worth of stock.

Apple has traditionally let retail stocks dwindle in advance of a new product announcement, a move which reduces the burden of outdated inventory while lowering the number of customers angry at a sudden upgrade. The most recent example is the original 2.5G iPhone, which gradually disappeared in the months before the launch of the iPhone 3G.

The company has also traditionally introduced new iPods in September, and is rumored to be working on a tall-screened iPod nano, as well as an unspecified revision of the iPod touch. A redesign of the MacBook could also be in the works, marking a switch from standard Intel platforms to custom ones, and possibly with glass trackpads. The end product of this effort would be at least six to eight weeks away from shipment, say reports.